Review: The Doghouse, Escape Room 66, Laguna Hills(Orange County, CA
Fun Factor 7
Escape Room 66
23621 Ridge Route Drive, Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Date played: August 17, 2025
Booking size: 3 to 10 (we recommend 4 to 6)
Game time: 60 Minutes
Objective: The cats and dogs are at it again. But this time a crime has been committed, and it’s up to your team to solve the puzzle and uncover the Who, What, When, Where, and Why!
Horror Theme: No
Difficulty: Intermediate+ (more info in review)
We had fun playing The Doghouse at Escape Room 66 in Laguna Hills and recommend it with a Fun Factor of 7. That score reflects its cheerful set design, wide variety of puzzle styles, plentiful tactile prop interactions, and a clever “game-within-a-game” mechanic.
Nonlinear Play
This room features strong nonlinear elements, which can make it especially challenging for just two players. We played with four, sometimes splitting up to tackle puzzles in parallel and other times regrouping. Many puzzles are solvable by one or two players, so not everyone will see every challenge. Escape Room 66 allows up to 10 players here, and we can see larger groups having a blast—there’s more than enough to do simultaneously. Still, we think 4–6 players is the sweet spot, though larger groups should remain engaged.
Family-Friendly Design
The content, set, and props are family-friendly, making this room suitable for younger players. There’s plenty for kids to do—especially since children often excel at scavenging and spotting hidden details. That said, while some puzzles are fairly straightforward, this is not a child-level escape room. Adults are essential, and they’ll find plenty of satisfying, well-designed challenges to enjoy.
A Love Letter to Board Games
In many ways, this room is an homage to Clue. In the classic board game, you determine the Who, Where, and What. The Doghouse ups the ante by also asking When and Why. The design cleverly breaks these questions into separate puzzle tracks, each with a distinct style—some more logic-driven, others more scavenger-based. This structure keeps the flow engaging and gives everyone something to latch onto.
As board game fans, we especially enjoyed the nods to Clue and the subtle winks to other classics. Familiarity with the referenced board games is not necessary to solve the puzzles, but fans of these board games should enjoy the shout-outs. They made us smile!
The room even includes a mini Einstein puzzle. These are notoriously tricky to implement in escape rooms (without pencil, paper, and a grid, they can be frustrating). Here, though, the clues and tactile solving method make it both approachable and satisfying.
If you’re not quite sure what an Einstein puzzle is, you’ve probably seen or solved one before. For more, see our article here.
Puzzle Variety & Game Flow
Most puzzles fall at a basic-to-intermediate level, with some advanced touches sprinkled in. Many feature multiple layers, creating those wonderful “aha” moments when you realize there’s another clever detail hiding in plain sight. The room is detail-heavy, so keen observation pays off. While we peg the puzzle difficulty as intermediate, this room may play more difficult for players, mainly due to its nonlinear, multi-layered puzzle structure.
We’ll admit we overcomplicated one puzzle by falling into tunnel vision—when the actual solution was refreshingly direct. That kind of design, where both careful observation and simple logic are rewarded, makes for an enjoyable mix.
Physical & Practical Notes
There is a brief, low-to-the-ground exploration moment, which kids, in particular, will likely love. For those with accessibility concerns, the website notes you can call ahead for more information. The hint system is straightforward: wave for help, and a typed clue appears on the monitor.
Other Games by Escape Room 66
The Doghouse was our fifth game at Escape Room 66, and we continue to be impressed by the fun, welcoming nature of everyone we’ve met at both of their locations. They do a great job at building bespoke set pieces that are fun to handle and puzzles that are well integrated in the storyline. For our reviews of their other rooms, please click the room name:
Escape Room 66 - Laguna Hills location: Prison Break, Wicked Wonderland
Escape Room 66 - Los Angeles location: Inksidious, The Mush Room
Final Thoughts
We had a fun time playing The Doghouse at Escape Room 66 in Laguna Hills, and we recommend it. This inventive, tactile, board-game-inspired escape room offers plenty to keep groups engaged. It layers puzzles in satisfying ways and integrates a clever crime-solving framework. We left smiling, with lots to talk about afterward.
If you play The Doghouse, please let them know you saw a Fun Factor Escape Room review—and drop us a line to share your thoughts. Most of all, HAVE FUN!
Escape Room 66 provided us with discounted media tickets. This consideration did not influence our review or recommendation